Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

शर्वाणीगिरमाकर्ण्य ततः शर्वः कृपानिधिः । समाधिमीलिताक्षीं तामुवाच वरदो हरः

Transliteration

śarvāṇīgiramākarṇya tataḥ śarvaḥ kṛpānidhiḥ | samādhimīlitākṣīṃ tāmuvāca varado haraḥ

Translation

ಶರ್ವಾಣಿಯ ಮಾತುಗಳನ್ನು ಕೇಳಿ ಕೃಪಾನಿಧಿಯಾದ ಶರ್ವನು, ಸಮಾಧಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕಣ್ಣು ಮುಚ್ಚಿದ್ದ ಆಕೆಯನ್ನು ಉದ್ದೇಶಿಸಿ ಮಾತನಾಡಿದನು; ವರದಾತ ಹರನು ಆಕೆಯನ್ನು ಸಂಬೋಧಿಸಿದನು.

Word by Word

• शर्वाणीगिरम्: Śarvāṇī’s words
• शर्वाणीगिरम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्वाणी-गिर् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शर्वाण्याः गिरम् = speech of Śarvāṇī); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन = Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-√कर्ण्/कृ (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) = having heard

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = then/thereupon

• शर्वः: Śarva (Śiva)
• शर्वः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन = Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृपानिधिः: treasure of compassion
• कृपानिधिः: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपा-निधि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कृपायाः निधिः = treasure of compassion); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपाधि/विशेषणवत्

• समाधिमीलिताक्षीम्: whose eyes were closed in meditation
• समाधिमीलिताक्षीम्: Karma (Object-Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाधि-मीलित-अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (समाधिना मीलिते अक्षिणी यस्याः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन = Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• उवाच: said/spoke
• उवाच: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्णभूत), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद = Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• वरदः: boon-giving
• वरदः: Karta (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर-द (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (वरं ददाति इति); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• हरः: Karta (Subject-Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन = Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, moved by Pārvatī’s words, turns toward a meditating woman with closed eyes and speaks as the boon-giver.

Characters & Entities

• Śarvāṇī (Pārvatī)
• Śarva (Śiva)
• Hara (Śiva)
• Samādhi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Samādhi and devotion invite divine response; Śiva is portrayed as naturally compassionate and boon-bestowing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s sacred environs (near Uttarārka) are presented as a space where deep samādhi meets divine speech.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meditative absorption (samādhi) is depicted as the devotee’s discipline; no external rite is specified.